Klarinet Archive - Posting 000250.txt from 2002/10

From: "Jonathan" <jdvn100@-----.fm>
Subj: Re: [kl] Composers' intentions (was: "Clarinet Substitutions")
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2002 21:03:23 -0400

Two birds, one stone. one long stone...

Bill said:
>If it were completely true, why should concert performers wear tuxedos
>or any other uniform? Why allow the audience to see the performers at
>all? Why not condemn a clarinetist who continues to hold the clarinet
>to his/her lips after the music has finished? Why not condemn a
>clarinetist who dances down the aisle rather than just walking somberly
>onto the stage? Should orchestras refrain from rehearsing with actors
>in musical theater or with singers in opera?

I'd just say that one shouldn't have to take measures to make the
performers look good, but one also shouldn't have to make measures to
hide them, either. You shouldn't have to worry about visual aspects when
concerned with music. I think tuxedoes are frivolous. I think uniform
dress is frivolous. It's not about being cliquish or isolated, it's
about being adding something that shouldnt' be added. Just don't draw
any frivolous attention.

Natalie said:
>Does this mean that you're against theater plays (musicals) and such as
>well? Should plays be only about talking and standing still? No dancing and
>no singing? It's the same concept, after all.

It's not the same concept. A lone piece of music calls for music to be
played. A play calls for acting. A musical play calls for both.

>My band director doesn't concentrate only on the visuals. We still learn
>what needs to be tongued how, when it needs to be soft, when it needs to be
>loud, how the musical phrases go, etc.

I'm not saying a marching band can't be musical. I'm saying marching
takes away from the music itself. The visuals shouldn't be important
when concerned with music education. My high school didn't have a
marching band and I think it was a good thing because the director had
more time to discuss what different things meant, where things came from,
and general music history. That's part of music education.

In fact, I don't know of any bands
>that ignore the musical aspects in marching season. Of course it may not be
>as musical as it would be standing still of sitting, but it can come very
>close. And when you consider the fact that people have to remember to roll
>their heals, get on their toes, fix the form, keep horn angles between the
>forties and 10 degrees above parallel, keep chins up, shoulders back, lean
>forward, eyes on drum major, change direction on 1 every
>4/8/12/16/24/32/etc. counts, it's pretty impressive.

Sure, it's impressive. But it's not music.

No, we don't get to
>work on scales and other basic fundamentals as much in marching season, but
>like it's been said before, very few in the band program plan to major in
>music or even play any after High School. But if there are people who want
>to pursue a career in music, they should NOT see marching band as a
>hinderance to their musical education. Private lessons are always available,
>as well as local youth orchestras and the like. Yeah, if people sign up for
>a *music* class, they should recieve a *music* education, but if they sign
>up for MARCHING band, they need to consider what will be asked of them.

Schools have music departments, not marching band departments. The
marching band is a part of the music department that I think takes away
from a focus on music. Regardless of what the students plan on doing
with the rest of their lives, music departments should focus on teaching
music.

>... there's an audience expecting it to be visually
>pleasing.

But they shouldn't. Music should be about the music. Mine is more an
idealistic point of view.

>If executed correctly, it enhances the music.

I'd disagree. It takes focus away from the music.

There are different
>areas of importance in different forms of music. In orchestral and regular
>band programs it's solely musical. In marching band it's musical as well as
>GE (general effect). And just because you add in that extra variable into
>the equation, doesn't mean that the music HAS to suffer.

No, the music can be just as good. But if people are paying attention to
the marching, they're paying less attention to the music.

It just means the
>kids have to strive harder to make it pleasing to the ears as well as to the
>eyes. And could you imagine a football game without the band playing music
>every five minutes? And what would happen during half-time?

I'm not saying get rid of marching bands. I'm saying they're detrimental
to music programs. It should be something extra students have to sign up
for and music programs shouldn't spend a lot of time doing it.

And people in
>marching band, for the most part, actually LIKE marching band. Sure it's
>hard work, but when all is said and done, they like having a 100 (or so)
>member family who all does the same thing.

Like any other group of people who work as a team.

--Jonathan
--
Jonathan
jdvn100@-----.fm

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